It is known to manufacture rod saw blades by brazing particles of a diamond-like substance, such as tungsten carbide, onto a steel or similar rod so that the tips of the particles project from the braze layer to provide a myriad of cutting edges. Such rod saws find widespread use in hacksaws and the like where the blade is stretched across the jaw of a blade holder and the two ends of the blade are held at the free ends of the arms forming the jaw and tension is applied to the blade to hold it taut.
We have now found that a rod saw lends itself particularly to use as a jig saw blade which is reciprocated axially by a suitable mechanism, for example a conventional electrically powered jig saw. This discovery enables one to makes use of the ability of a rod saw to cut in any direction normal to the longitudinal axis of the blade in operations for which a hacksaw or the like is not suitable. This enables the jig saw to cut in all directions without the need for special mechanisms to permit rotation of the cutting blade as with some present forms of electrical jig saw. Furthermore, since the rod saw presents a cutting edge in all directions radially, it can cut complex shapes with immediate changes in direction of the cut without the need to provide dead areas within which the saw blade can be maneuvered so as to present its cutting face in a new direction. The invention thus enables a user to cut more complex shapes than hitherto with mechanical tools and with a low percentage of wasted material.